Mitsui O.S.K Lines Orders New High-Efficiency Iron Ore Carrier

The Pleiades Dream is MOL's first newbuilding Cape-size bulker to sail under the Japanese flag since the introduction of the tonnage tax system. It transports iron ore for Rio Tinto Shipping (Singapore), image courtesy MOL

TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. today announced that it has ordered a new cape-size bulker that will adopt element technologies of the next-generation ISHIN-III vessel program to achieve high fuel efficiency. Universal Shipbuilding Corporation (President: Shinjiro Mishima) will construct the new ship, slated for completion in late 2014.

MOL has repeatedly studied various technologies to realize the concept for the ISHIN-III series of next-generation vessels (large-scale iron ore carriers) announced in April 2010.

The new vessel will adopt the following element technologies which are at the core of the ISHIN-III concept. New technologies will boost fuel efficiency of the new ship by more than 20% compared to conventional cape-size vessels, with a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions.

(1) Waste heat energy recovery to assist propulsion
This concept seeks to maximize waste heat energy recovery with more advanced technology. A large amount of heat energy can be recovered from the large main engine’s exhaust gas, converted to electricity, and utilized to provide additional propulsion, significantly reducing the vessel’s environmental burden. This technology can also be applied to large main engines installed on tankers and containerships.

(2) Reduction of CO2 emissions even at low speeds
The combination of a turbocharger that can operate at high efficiency even at low rpm and an electronically-controlled main engine reduces CO2 emissions even during a low-speed voyage.

MOL continues to take a proactive stance in technological development with the aim of reducing the environmental burden of its ships.

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